"All in all, I believe this is a nice short thriller story, which focuses mainly on Dylan Roche, the heir to the Marino's empire.
How come he never knew about his rich family before? It seems his recently deceased mother kept him in the dark about many things, but why? What could have been her reasons behind her unwillingness to let her only child know about her roots. Now he knows he's got a very wealthy grandmother and it seems his only chance of finding out is by accepting her invitation to visit her in Florida, although he might be facing certain dangers if he wants to unveil the truth.
Being this the prequel to what's yet to come I feel it fulfilled its purpose of hooking us up so as to be willing to read the next instalment in the series, hopefully there'll be more background on the characters and the connection between their past and present lives.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily."
-- Ruben Diaz, IndieReader reviewer
With more plot twists than the Goliath roller coaster at Six Flags Great America, Buried Secrets digs up a treasure of a story powered by expert writing, an agile storyline, and truckloads of suspense. Clues are dropped here and there as the author leaves a trail of literary bread crumbs for readers to follow and get some answers. I was pulled in from chapter one.
The plot weaves in and out of several different time frames and points of view. This might be confusing or result in a muddled mess in the hands of a lesser talent. But Baumgartner pulls it off, page after absorbing page. She keeps readers on the edge of their seats, ready for more.
The writing style is brisk and the pacing is pitch-perfect. The way the author ties the loose ends together as the story winds down is masterful. Tip: Knowing a priest who's an ex-Navy SEAL can come in real handy. Other Tip: Don't start Buried Secrets late at night. If you do, it will have you turning pages into the hours! I couldn't put it down!
Scene stealer: Dylan's friend Tommy.
I wish this book was longer. But a "Bonus Expanded Epilogue" is available as a free download on the author's website.
This is the newly expanded and revised edition of the original story, The Secrets. Buried Secrets is the prequel in the Mirror Estates series. I can't wait for the next installment!
--Kristine L.
